Rourkela: In a breakthrough in the sensational murder of a woman and her four children at Indupur village in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, the Koira police on Monday arrested six persons.
According to police, the accused had killed the five members of Sidia Munda’s family on suspicion that his wife practised witchcraft.
Those arrested have been identified as Dagma Munda, Raju Munda, Salu Munda (three siblings), Debra Munda and sorcerer Budura Munda.
They were detained by police on Sunday in connection with the gruesome murder and a spade and a crowbar were seized from them.
“Preliminary investigation hinted at their involvement in the killing of the woman and her four children on Friday night. There were past instances of feud between the accused persons and the Sidia’s family,” said a senior police office, adding that those arrested had earlier claimed that the woman practised witchcraft and caused harm to them.
Sundargarh DIG (western range) Kabita Jalan said that one daughter of Debra Munda had died and another fell ill, following which they suspected the family of practising witchcraft and plotted to kill them.
After returning home on Saturday morning, Sidia, a driver, found blood stains on the floor of his house and later spotted the bodies of his wife Mangiri Munda (30), 10-year-old daughter Mara Munda, son Tekel Munda (9), Chamar Munda (4) and one-year-old daughter in a well near the house.
Police had recovered sharp and blunt objects from the spot. They suspected that the five were killed and the body later dumped in the well.
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